It Comes with a Price
by Takada Saiko
Summary: Pre-Thor. When Thor loses Mjolnir in a bet with a group of dwarves, the brothers travel to find a way to retrieve it. Along with the dwarves they find a powerful man that is pulling the strings of their entire adventure. They must find a way not only to defeat the enemy, but to work through the rift that is already beginning to form between them. R&R Co-written with Gabrielle Day
1. Chapter 1

A/N: It came to our attention today that we have named the majority of our Thor and Loki stories in this series (I say majority, because "He's like the Sun" and "Expectations" were written by just me) after various lyrics from Florence + The Machines songs. Just an interesting observation...

Here we go again. Pre-Thor again, and still in our series. Enjoy!

**It Comes with a Price**

He really did need to learn to say no. Thor would continue to pull him into these impossible situations until he learned that his little brother wouldn't follow him into them blindly forever. It hadn't been Loki who had made a thoughtless bet with a shifty-eyed Dwarf, nor Loki that had lost said bet, therefore losing his brother's most prized hammer Mjolnir to its creator's kin. Somehow, though, it was Loki who was expected to come up with a plan to retrieve the thunder god's hammer from the Dwarf's abode in Nidavellir, and Loki who now found himself inside said dwelling - a rather large structure that could only have been built by the crafting hands of the Dwarves - searching for the weapon. He had urged his brother to stay outside, knowing that his heavy footsteps would alert anyone within earshot of their movements. That was how he found himself pressed up against the wall of a room, trying to keep his breathing quiet and steady as he cloaked himself in a spell that should, if he stayed still enough, conceal his whereabouts as the owners of the place looked for their unwelcomed guest who already had the worst of reputations amongst their people. Loki really did have to learn to say no.

He slipped through a half open doorway and found himself in what appeared to be a minor banquet hall. Minor for the dwarves, of course, meaning it could still seat two hundred of their brethren. Only the middle table had been set and left behind, the hammer in the midst of the feast leftovers. It was only when he was upon the table and about to seize it that he cursed his cleverness - or his own stupidity. In leaving Thor behind he had guaranteed a clean getaway. The getaway would be without the hammer, though, for without Thor the hammer would only serve to stretch Loki's muscles as he attempted to lift it from it's home nestled amongst the meats and cheeses. He would have to bring Thor back anyway, or convince the careless fool to leave it behind.

Loki sighed and leaned a hip against the side of the table. His eyes fell on a corked bottle of wine, and two untouched glasses. Perhaps it would serve as distraction enough to get them out of this mess.

He held the small treasures in his hands, conjuring them away to an unseen place where he could call for them later. It was a useful trick he'd just mastered and he was pleased to make use of it at last. He could hear yelling down the hall and the sound of much smaller feet trampling down the grand hallway. He started for the window only to catch the eye of a single Dwarf that had happened to come to check on their prize. The axe might have been meant to hit him, but it shifted through the double that he left behind as he pulled himself up onto the window ledge and jumped the several feet down to the grassy field below. He was only grateful that they had not decided to stow away in the lower levels of the fortress or in their mines, which would have made for a much slower, less clean escape.

He glanced back, hearing the shouts behind him. Perhaps not so clean after all.

He raced off across the field, knowing that he would be spotted, but having little choice. He was quicker than his pursuers, and he'd have a good few minutes on them before they reached the place where he'd told his brother to wait for him.

He sighted his brother and breathed a prayer of thanks that he hadn't moved, wandered away, or worse, followed him into the fortress in an effort to be helpful. "We have to go!" Loki announced in way of greeting as he reached the blond.

Thor arched one eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Do you have it?" he asked.

Loki leaned against a tree trunk and caught his breath. "Well, no. Not exactly."

"What do you mean not exactly?" Thor asked. He was beginning to get that stubborn look around his eyes, the one that told Loki that his brother would be marching back across the fields himself, through a sea of dwarves if necessary to retrieve it.

"First off, it was heavily guarded. Secondly, it is rather exhausting using magic consistently for long stretches of time and then running for ones life which leads me to point number three, I was discovered. So, I know where it is which is almost the same as having it. And I did bring a gift." Loki said. The wine appeared in his hands instantly and he offered it with a charming smile.

"But that's not Mjolnir," Thor grumbled.

Loki opened his mouth and then shut it immediately, biting his tongue against a harsh remark on Thor's intellect and his abilities to perceive the obvious. "If you'd like some, you should have some, but if you don't, I shall have it all for myself," the younger brother said instead, green eyes sparking.

"I'd have some, but I'd rather have Mjolnir, all things considered." Thor snatched the bottle from his brother, taking a long swig without bothering with the glass that Loki offered.

The dark haired Asgardian rolled his eyes and murmured something or the other about manners. "We really should go. They'll be right behind me."

"You go ahead. Wait at the Bifrost. I'll be there shortly." Thor said, taking another deep swig from the bottle.

Loki gaped at him. "You cannot be serious. You surely do not mean to infer that you're going back to the fortress. All the lies of pretty maidens hoping to reach greatness in your bed are going to your mind, brother. You may be strong but even you cannot defeat a thousand dwarves."

"They will not harm me." Thor said, popping his back and then his neck.

Loki winced. "They will not kill you. There is a difference, pray remember. And try not to drink the whole bottle. It would be better, no matter what we do, were you not staggering about." Loki said, snatching the wine from him.

"Some of us are not built as lightly as you, brother!" Thor answered with a boisterous laugh, grabbing it back again and drinking from it.

Loki let out a frustrated breath, took it back, and smashed it against the rocks. "And some of us do not have our wits dulled so easily!" He peered around his brother, ignoring his protests of good wine wasted, and saw the Dwarves approaching. "Come on! Whatever it is we do, we shouldn't be caught here."

"Afraid, Loki?"

"Cautious. There is a difference, and it might do you some good to learn a measure of caution." He grabbed his brother's arm, pulling him after as he started deeper into the thicket. He could feel Thor begin to slow behind him and he turned to unleash another round of insults to see Thor's face drawn in a painful way. He pushed him behind several large, fallen logs and they ducked down together.

Thor sat down heavily, his head going to his hands as if the entire world spun around him. Loki's irritation immediately shifted to worry as he placed a hand on the larger Asgardian's shoulder. "Thor? Brother? Are you well?"

Thor shook his hand off. "I am fine. Too much sun followed by too much quick wine. We should continue."

Loki frowned and he searched his brother's face for truthfulness. Thor had many excellent qualities, the fine art of deception not being chief among them. "What? You do not wish to circle around and take them from behind?" the dark haired god jibed.

"They will care for it with painstaking efforts, as they created it. I do not fear for its integrity. Let us go back before Father is aware of what we have...gotten ourselves...into." Thor coughed harshly, bringing his hand to his mouth.

Loki's hand still hovered over his brother's shoulder and he jerked back slightly, startled. Thor was never sick, and it was certainly never this sudden.

Thor turned away and coughed again. "Go, Loki. We must go." he said.

Loki grabbed his shoulder again and pulled him back to face him. Thor wiped the palm of his hand against his pants. Green eyes flickered downward and latched onto a small smear of discoloration. He grabbed at Thor's hand instantly, not giving the elder prince any room to move away, and turned it over so he could see. A bit of red stained white palms, standing out starkly against it. Thor's face had gone several shades paler within moments and fear clawed at the god of mischief. "What _have_ we gotten ourselves into?" he murmured, hand going to his brother's face. He had gone clammy, beads of sweat already beginning to form. It was too fast. They needed to find a way out.

Loki's keen mind flew into overload, searching for the best escape. There was no way that Thor was moving from that spot, not by his own power at this rate. Certainly the Dwarves had not meant to poison the sons of Odin. There must be some explainable mistake at works here. "Stay here," Loki murmured, decision made.

Thor almost reached for him, to stop him from leaving, but resisted at the last second. There was a time -maybe not so long ago- that he would not have hesitated, that reaching for his brother would have been the natural response, but they were older now. Time was slipping away from them more quickly with every passing year and decade and soon one of them would be named heir to the throne of Asgard, the chosen son. As much as their father had told them when they were children that they were both made to rule, it was becoming more and more evident that only one of them was meant to rule Asgard in Odin's stead. And so as time was slipping away, they were slipping away from each other and it was beyond Thor as to how to keep the closeness of their youth. So he let Loki slip out of sight, even as he felt his chest spasm and coughed more blood into his hand.

Loki spotted the dwarves approaching and held his hands up with a broad smile on his lips. "Peace, friends," he called out. "No one is running from you. Why do you chase with axes as if you mean to dice us?"

"We ought to, Silvertongue," one dwarf answered, eyeing him suspiciously. "When you appear from nowhere for no particular reason, it never bodes well for us."

Loki continued to smile, chuckling slightly as he did so. "No one has wronged you."

"You came to wrong us. We won Mjolnir back from your brother fairly, which is more than it might be said when a deal is done with you."

"Now, how fair might it be with my brother as the deal-maker? You know he is slower to think and quicker to speak and boast."

One dwarf raised an axe, causing the dark haired prince to take a step back. "And why did you stop, princeling?"

"Surely you meant no harm to come to a son of Odin. Your wine has set wrongly with my brother and he needs to return safely to Asgard. What will you require from me to make this happen?"

A dwarf called Elpin considered. "Much should be required from you. You have caused us no end of strife. You should have known better than to come here. I cannot imagine that Odin Allfather did not expressly forbid your presence in our lands. Perhaps we will be kind and return you already disciplined."

Loki tilted his head and tried not to let his smile become nervous. "Surely my lords, we could make repayment of some kind. We are not children to be slapped on the hand and sent to bed without supper."

Elpin smiled, a frightening look on a dwarf of his disposition. "No. The sons of Odin are no longer children, and we are no nursemaids. Come. We will think of some way for you to make restitution."

The nervousness set deeper into him and Loki's smile faded. "I fear you do not understand me, friend. My brother is ill. He _must_ return to Asgard without delay."

Elpin continued his twisted smile. "You shall return, prince, when we are done with you."

* * *

TBC

A/N: I hope this is matching up to what you've come to expect from this little series. This is leading up to another story that will technically come after "Breath of Life." We haven't started writing it yet, but the ideas have been bouncing around in between us.

Please let us know if you like it!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Have I mentioned how much I'm loving The Hollow Crown? I've been on a bit of a Shakespeare run as I also had Hamlet on my Netflix queue and have been watching that as well. David Tennant is, of course, brilliant in it. I haven't quite finished it, but I have nothing but good things to say about it. If you haven't had a chance to take a look and you're a Hamlet fan, I do recommend it.

Now, back to our favorite Asgardian princes!

* * *

The dwarves began to close in on him and Loki looked ready to create one of his tricks to escape, but their leader shook his head. "I wouldn't do that, if your brother is in as such trouble as you say."

Without warning two dwarves took hold of Loki's wrists and clapped cuffs on them and the young god felt his magic suddenly drain. His green eyes grew wide and he began to struggle.

"Peace," Elpin chuckled. "You will see to our friend Arlan before you depart. He will pass judgment on you where your father lacks."

"How dare you?" Loki hissed, feeling very vulnerable without his unique set of skills at hand. "Who do you think you are to speak of the Allfather in such a way?"

"We are older than the mountains, Silvertongue, before your kind had come and we will remain long after your kind has passed. Odin Allfather has managed to conjure two unruly stallions for sons. And all good stallions must first be broken." Elpin motioned to his brethren. "Take him to Arlan. Skonal, Draken, come with me. We must find the other and he should be an easy hunt."

Loki twisted and tried to jerk free, the magic dampening cuffs causing him to come up short. "Do not lay your hands upon him." he warned.

Elpin laughed heartily. "Would you prefer we lay our axes upon him? We can honor your wishes, if you like, princeling. We can tell your father this: Odin! Do not judge us for the death of your first-born. Your second born warned us not to lay hands upon him." He laughed again and turned away.

Loki tried with all his might to pull away as the others hauled him ungracefully back towards their fortress. He considered calling to his brother, shouting for him to run, but he knew that would only bring him more quickly. Perhaps if he only heard the approach of the dwarves -gods knew they were not silent creatures- he would go to the Bifrost for help. Fear drew a deep well in his stomach when the thought occurred to him that Thor might not make it that far.

The dwarves found the god of thunder hunched behind fallen logs, looking pale and worn. He lifted his chin slightly, blue eyes glazed over in pain and suffering. "Where is my brother?" he rasped.

"Come with us. We will take you to him," Elpin offered and Thor did not have the wherewithal to realize the trick. His breathing was labored and he allowed himself to be urged up and forward by creatures much smaller than himself. He stumbled, the poison making him clumsy, and moved in the direction they urged him without question. He nearly fell more than once on their short journey back to the castle-like structure in which Loki had first ventured.

The dwarves were carrying Odin's first born to the best of their ability by the time they crossed the threshold and started for the room in which they meant to keep the two young gods while they waited for Arlan. The name was mentioned around Thor several times as they hauled his lagging form down a set of stairs, but he had never heard it before. It certainly didn't sound like a dwarf, but he couldn't imagine that they kept much company other than their own. "We've prepared a place for you, young prince, that suits your visit," Elpin laughed, opening the door. "We have already given your brother his welcome gift, but I suppose yours was taken in the form of the stolen wine, wasn't it?"

It was then that Thor sensed something was amiss. He stepped away from the group of dwarves, eyes casting about for a sign of his brother. "We meant you no harm. My apologies if we have offended you. I will go to my father and tell him I lost Mjolnir to you. Please, let me take my brother and return to Asgard." His voice was fading, the end of his apology coming out a raspy plea. He coughed deeply, and the dwarves could see the small smear on his lip that his hand did not catch.

Elpin shared a glance with his closest fellow, who shrugged. "The wine you took, son of Odin, was meant for another guest, one with a different constitution. Clearly the recipe is not meant for your kind. At least you have the knowledge that your brother will not suffer the effects of it. However, you cannot be permitted to return to Asgard. Your brother has offered to make restitution and he must fulfill his obligation."

Anger flooded Thor's veins. "Where is my brother?" he demanded.

Elpin motioned towards the door and Thor could see Loki leaned up against wall in the far corner. He was curled up on himself, his princely clothing showing signs of wear that had not been there when he had left him behind those trees. Thor tried to call out to him, but his name came out only as a strained cough and one of the dwarves pushed him inside and the door slammed shut behind him. The blond stumbled across the room, fearing the worst when Loki did not turn to meet his gaze. He realized, as he dropped to the floor beside him, that his brother was indeed conscious, and choosing to keep his face buried against the wall. "Loki? Are you well?" Thor managed, his hand clutching at the younger god's shoulder.

Loki let out a strange sort of sound, but refused to turn, pushing his brother away every time he tried to come close.

"Loki? Won't you say something? What have they done to you?" Frustrated, Thor took hold of his brother's shoulder and pulled him, giving him no choice but to turn. What he saw caused him to pull back. Someone, and he had a good idea who it was, had threaded together his brother's lips so that his clever tongue could not be heard. Blood was smeared and every twitch of the muscles in his face seemed to cause him discomfort. He gave off a low sort of moan when his brother's blue eyes came to rest on the dwarves' handiwork and he resigned himself to simply look at the floor.

Thor struggled to comprehend the sight before his eyes, knowing what he was seeing and yet hoping that he would blink and it would not be true. Instinctively he raised his hand as if to touch Loki's face and the younger god gave a muffled cry and jerked away, but the movement cost him dearly and Thor could see the tears building in his brother's eyes. "Loki, you must let me..." Thor said thickly. His hand hovered uselessly before coming to rest on Loki's knee, where he thought his brother would not feel a threat of contact with his face. He cursed vehemently. "They'll regret this. Loki, will you let me help you?"

His brother looked at him, green eyes dark with anger and hurt and humiliation. He blinked, one heavy tear sliding down his face.

"Can I at least get your hands free?" Thor asked.

Loki gave a small shake of his head to indicate that he could not. Thor slowly lifted his hand and rested it on his brother's shoulder. "The thread. I can remove that. Will you allow it?"

Loki blinked again, a second tear following the first. He leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes, giving one small, short not.

"I will be as careful as I can. I'm sorry, Loki. I'm sorry." Thor brushed his lips against Loki's forehead so faintly that the younger brother thought he might have imagined it. The task was excruciating for both brothers, Loki forcing himself not to scream and pull the threads apart all at once, and Thor pulling each stitch so as not to permanently damage Loki's lips. Thor had never been so careful or gentle in all his life, but the pain was unavoidable. What seemed like a lifetime later, he announced softly, "Loki, that was the last."

Thin lips were still pressed together as if they were held there and the trickster reached a careful finger to them. He winced and withdrew it bloodied. Very slowly he allowed his mouth to open and a small groan escaped him.

Thor waited as if he expected his brother to begin speaking immediately, but was not rewarded until several moments later. "Did they give you something to counteract the poison?" he asked, mouth barely moving and pain showing in his eyes.

"No, but it is as you said: they won't kill us. Surely they won't risk Father's wrath."

"There's something off about them," Loki murmured thoughtfully and he began running skillful fingers along the braces that bound his magic. He found the seam that hid the latch and began to tinker with it, looking for a weakness.

Thor sat on the cold stone floor, feeling the weight of the poison in his blood. He watched Loki twist his hands in the bands and suddenly feared that Loki would hate him for this. There had been many scrapes he'd pulled them into since they were children and they escaped mostly unharmed, but as he saw Loki frown and wince as the expression pulled the wounds in his lips Thor wondered if this might not be the bridge too far. Blood dotted and gathered as Loki continued frowning, too engrossed in his attempted to overcome the magic that bound him to notice. He wished he had paid more attention in their lessons. While he excelled at combat and athletics, Loki had become the star of academics and magic. His younger brother had been born for the stuff, it literally flowed through his veins and dripped from the words he spoke like honey in summer. Thor had never envied him his talents, until now, although if even Loki knew not what to do of the bands, all the studying Thor could have done would have yielded nothing now.

The only time Thor could recall being interested in magic was when he would go see Freya, one of Rowen's healing apprentices. Freya was lovelier than the dawn with long golden hair and deep gold eyes. She had the patience of a goddess and had, with good humor, taught him small spells and runes during lazy afternoons spent in gardens and pools and other places.

A drop of blood spilled from Loki's lips onto his long fingers as he worked, and as it fell words she had spoken came to his mind. He opened his mouth, breath catching and halting his speech. Doubt momentarily plagued him. He was no mage or sorcerer and would not dare pretend to be so, but if he could ease Loki's suffering for even an instant, if it would stop Loki from hating him for getting them into this scrape then he would risk it. He would risk everything. The words fell from him and he felt strange, as if warmth was spreading in his chest.

Loki looked up, startled. "What are you doing? Thor?"

Even as the words began to fade from his mind the warmth in Thor's chest was replaced with icy cold but he could see...yes...the wounds were closing. He could only pray he was not hallucinating. Silence hung between the brothers for long moments, both exhausted and stunned. Thor managed a small smile before his eyes fluttered closed and he collapsed to the ground.

* * *

TBC

A/N: Weekends are always too short. Ugh. Please let us know how we're doing! =)


	3. Chapter 3

"Thor!" Loki gasped, at his side in an instant. "What did you do? How did you even know...? Thor!" He shook him gently, and when he received no response he shook him heartily. Nervous green eyes darted from one side of the room to the other. It would do no good to call the dwarves. They were the reason that his brother now lay sprawled on the cold, unfeeling floor, paler than the snow and breathing so shallow it was as if it might stop at any moment.

He turned his attention - he must focus, he _must_ focus - back to the cuffs that he was so close to undoing. His nails bit down into the latches and he put aside all care for his fingers, shifting them in an awkward angle he would have otherwise avoided. He was rewarded with a snapping sound and the cuff fell off. He worked the other one off in a much quicker manner.

Freed from the magic suppressers he pulled his brother's much larger form up against him, cradling him in a way that he would never have been caught doing at any other point. Thor could be infuriating more times than not, driving him to the brink of blinding rage, but he did love his brother dearly. More dearly than he could ever truly express, and it was that love that put aside his usual self-preservation.

Thor felt so cold in his arms, but as he gripped the blond's hand he could feel it warm as he used a spell he had never though he'd have need for. He tangled his other hand in blond hair, murmuring his words against his brother's temple: spell, benediction, plea. Thor had always been full of surprises, but surely never one so harrowing as this.

Slowly, oh so very slowly, Thor was growing warmer, closer to the temperature Loki knew he should be. He could feel himself growing colder and heavier, the only place remaining warm were his lips where Thor's words had worked. And it had worked. Loki was not certain he would ever recover from his brother's small victory.

Thor stirred, his breathing deepened. Bright blue eyes opened and Loki felt some of the knots in his chest loosen. "What were you thinking?" he asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Thor sighed. "You know perfectly well what I was thinking." he grumbled. He tried to sit up and Loki helped him, but did not release his hand. He needed just a little longer.

"Looks as if the dwarves' wine is not so potent after all," Thor chuckled, obviously feeling stronger than he had only a few minutes before. He stood, a bit shakily, but brought his brother with him. His laughter faded as he took his brother's paling form in.

Loki gave him a small smile, hoping to distract him long enough. "Or perhaps you're just stronger than they anticipated."

Thor seemed to realize that his brother had a death grip on his hand and slowly put the pieces together. He may not have known exactly what spell Loki had cast, but he knew that his recovering health was coming at the cost of his brother's diminishing. "What are you doing?" he growled out, trying to snatch his hand away.

"Saving your life," the dark haired prince snapped back.

Thor wrenched his hand from Loki's grasp with a growl of frustration. "Enough!" he exclaimed.

"You do not wish for me to save your life?" Loki asked, rubbing his wrists absently.

"You have done enough, brother. Taken on enough." Thor said, backing away until he was out of arm's reach in case Loki tried to take hold of him again. He laughed mirthlessly. "Stronger than they anticipated. I think not. I do not think I am exceeding their expectations in any manner. Meet them, though just that." He turned a rueful gaze on his brother. "They may yet think more of me than you do."

Loki felt a pang and wondered if it was from the fact that Thor thought such a thing or whether it was because it was closer to the truth than both of them liked. Thor coughed, but not as deeply as earlier and Loki found himself scooting imperceptibly closer.

His brother shot him a wary look and Loki held up his hands as if to show his innocence in the movement. He could feel the poison that he had drained from the elder Asgardian working its way through his own veins now and he gave an involuntary shutter, the entire room pulsing for a moment.

Thor moved and took hold of the younger prince, hauling him backward so that they were both leaned up against the wall. "Don't try anything," he warned.

"Ungrateful," Loki responded. He had meant it as a jest, but voice sounded rough and harsh as he spoke and he couldn't hold back a cough any longer. That one was as if opening a floodgate and his body began to rebel against him. His chest tightened and he swallowed against the fit that threatened him. He was so concentrated on staying upright that he hadn't noticed Thor moving again, his hand steadying him at the elbow. His brother _was_ strong, Loki realized. He had not taken all of the poison from him, perhaps a little over half, and even that was ripping at him in an instant as it had taken time to begin to do to Thor.

A large hand covered his own and his brother's voice rang in his ears. "Can't you give it back?"

"Doesn't work like that," Loki managed between gritted teeth.

"Excellent. That is simply excellent." Thor said. "Can you counter it with a spell of some kind?"

"Believe it or not, dear brother, there is not a spell for everything. Unless you have more tricks up your sleeve." Loki said pointedly.

"Alas, you have witnessed the only magic words I happen to possess."

"That I knew, since it is apparent you know neither please nor thank you either." Loki said curtly.

"Mother would be so proud of you for pointing that out. I'll be sure to let her know that you insist on court etiquette even to the bitter end." Thor replied, pulling away and going to the door of their hold. He pressed his hands against it, testing its strength.

Loki slid down the wall to sit again, wrapping his arms around his torso. "Let's not argue now." the trickster said softly, bringing one hand up to gently tug at his bottom lip. It was sore, but would not even be that in two days.

"You? Unwilling to argue?" He turned to shoot a glare at his dark haired sibling, but found he could not. Loki was watching him intensely from his seat, looking as pale and worn as Thor was sure he did earlier. His limbs still felt stiff and cumbersome. He was certainly not his usual boisterous self, nor was Loki at the top of his game. They would have to be careful in their escape and they would have to work together. "Who do you suppose that Arlan they kept mentioning is?" Thor asked at last, turning his attention back to the door.

"I have no idea," his brother responded quietly and sighed. "You're still cross with me, aren't you?"

Thor leaned against the door and felt the wood strain under his fingers, the very grain of the wood beginning to groan in protest and he eased back so he did not send it splintering into the hallway before they were ready to move. He sighed. "Am I not allowed to be cross with you? You've certainly been cross with me plenty of times."

"That's because you have done foolish things plenty of times." Loki said reasonably.

Thor turned and leaned his back against the door, crossing his arms. "Perhaps you only think my actions foolish because they are not the actions you would have taken. I can never be like you, Loki, I haven't your type of skill. Will you never allow me to permit you a kindness without calling it foolishness?"

Loki snorted. "You call it kindness, but it is that kindness that will be your undoing. You get us into these messes and then when you realize that you have, you blunder around even more trying to get us out. In the end, I'm the one putting everything straight and usually end up in the healing rooms for my efforts." He had stood some time during his short, irritable rant, raising his chin the air as he spoke.

They stood, the room turning into a heated battle ground of words as it often seemed to now, and Loki crossed his arms stubbornly, perhaps not even noticing that he mirrored his brother's own stance.

Thor's expression hardened and Loki might have not imagined the distant rumbling far above them. "You are right. My antics have troubled you far too long and as soon as we return home I vow to trouble you and land you in the hands of the healers no more. Now, if you would like to leave this forsaken place and the escape the intolerance of my company, shall I unhinge the door or is that blundering for you, brother? Surely you have some much more graceful way of whispering to it and seducing it out of it's locks?" the thunder god growled.

The distant rumbling grew ever so slightly louder and Loki wondered if lightning could strike this far into the earth by his brother's spontaneous anger. Surely, if it could, it would find him.

He sighed, knowing that he needed to quench his brother's fury - hurt - before any escape was attempted. They would need to work together, as they always did when things went well. Not that Loki would like to admit that out loud. "Forgive me, brother," Loki murmured. "I let my words get carried away. I didn't mean to offend you."

"You never do. It just comes easily," Thor snapped, not to be settled so quickly this time. "Poor, dumb Thor, so quick to throw his brother into peril."

"That's not what I said and you know that."

"It _is_ what you said!" Thor was breathing hard now, the poison not yet gone from his system. He coughed into his hands, his body shaking under the pressure.

Loki took a step forward, genuine worry written on his features. He was at his brother's side before either realized it and reached out to him. "I'm sorry," he whispered sincerely.

"Sorry you said it or sorry you're stuck with me for a brother?" Thor asked roughly, pulling away.

Loki's outstretched hand met only air and he stood there, for once not knowing what to say.

Thor turned back to the door. "We need a strategy, then, if we are to reach the Bifrost without getting cut down by dwarves or ensnared by their mysterious guest. And since we're back in this fortress, if we happen to pass by the chamber where they've laid Mjolnir I should like to reclaim her." Thor said.

"I know paths through their little kingdom well enough, I think, to get us to surface without rousing them." Loki said. He ran a hand through dark hair, tousling the strands in frustration. He never failed to have the right words, especially where his brother was concerned. For an apology to fall short with Thor was almost an insult. He sighed, feeling ill and exhausted. "To get to Mjolnir we'll need to go up-" he stopped, running over the layout in his mind - "four flights. They were keeping it in a banquet hall close to the exit."

"That sounds like a trap."

"Yes, well, if you want it we'll go fetch it. That is what we came here for, after all, and it would be a shame to leave it behind. I can always cover our escape in fog or something of the like if we need it."

Thor nodded, accepting the plan and he took hold of the door. He gave it a sharp push, the wood creaking and shattering under his powerful grip and they were released.

"It does seem simple, doesn't it?" Loki murmured, looking down the hall in both directions.

"Let us not be malcontent with a few moments of peace." Thor said. The blond eased down the hallway towards the stairs. Loki stayed several paces behind in case they were ambushed. They reached the base of the stairs with still no one in sight, and no movements could be heard above them.

"They're not very intent on guarding their prisoners." Loki mused.

"They probably thought I would be dead and you would be lost to a painful sleep." Thor replied.

"Or they are not expecting us until later. Haste may be the only advantage we have right now." Loki said.

They slipped up the stairs in near silence, Thor easing open the door at the top.

Loki might have once wished for nothing more than a few moments of silence from his elder brother, but he found the cold quiet and few curt words to be almost painful to him. Thor rarely stayed angry long when something managed to get under his skin, but this seemed to be the exception. He had not looked directly at his brother since the holding room and he continued to avoid eye contact even as green eyes slid to try and capture blue.

_He'll come around once we're home_, Loki promised himself, trying to push down the uneasy feeling that was clawing at him. All he was sure of at the present was he was not overly fond of the current Thor. He decided that he would complain less about the other's natural sunnier disposition in the future. "Right in there," he whispered, pointing to the banquet hall that he'd taken the wine from previously.

The brothers reached the table without being caught, which made Loki even more uncomfortable. These were dwarves, not given to lying in wait for long periods of time and certain not given to moving stealthily through their own abodes. There was a greater force at work and he was becoming convinced that it would spring and both of them would be caught in its jaws. "Get it and let us leave, please." Loki nearly hissed.

"What is that?" Thor demanded.

Loki turned, not understanding what could fascinate his brother so much as to delay taking up the hammer and continuing their escape. As soon as he caught sight of what his brother pointed at, he understood. He frowned, smiled, and started laughing.

Thor was not amused. "Did you do this? This is a most tasteless jest. Change it back at once. I will not carry such...such a..."

"Priceless treasure?" Loki offered, still laughing.

"Monstrosity!"

The younger prince was now shaking as he tried to stifle his laughter, hand to his mouth to smother any giggles that escaped. Thor looked ready to unleash on him. "Change it back!" he nearly roared, remembering last second to keep his voice down so that it came out as a seething whisper.

Loki gathered his wits about him, staring at the hammer. It was shrunken in size and the most atrocious shade of pink he had ever seen in his life. Were those flowers...? He had to admit it did seem like something he might have done if he were trying to rile his elder brother. "I'm afraid I cannot take credit, though I almost wish I could." At the look he received he threw his hands up in mock surrender. "Not against you, brother, of course, but only so that I would know who had changed it. It is a bit of sorcery that the dwarves wouldn't know."

"Can you change it back?" Thor asked, sounding mildly desperate.

"I'm sure that I can. I'll need my books, though, to see what kind of magic this may be. But yes, I can. I'm almost positive." Loki said, grinning at the way Thor's jaw twitched when he heard the word "almost".

"Not even Sif would use this." Thor pointed out.

"Certainly not. Fandral would use it in this condition long before Sif would near it." Loki agreed. "But it is what it is, and we must go. So grab your flower, I'm sorry, hammer, and let's be off."

Thor's murderous look and equally vicious grumblings were lost as Loki almost cheerfully lead the way back to the hallway.

He stopped in the doorway, dread seeping into his veins. His halt had been so sudden that Thor bumped into him, and he tilted his head in a questioning way.

"I don't think this is some idle sorcerer," he murmured. "I've never sensed anything so... powerful." He lifted a hand, fog spreading out before them as if it were born of the stones it came from. Loki took a breath, looking as if he were steadying himself. "The poison is making it difficult to control my magic. We'll have to move quickly and I can't spread it out too far."

Thor gave him no argument and no hesitation. They moved quickly through the halls, the stones cold around them and dripping with condensation in places. Loki's breathing became heavier and he reached out to stop his brother. "He knows where we are." Loki said, voice so low Thor could barely hear him.

"Whom?"

"This sorcerer. We are being watched. It is not intended for us to leave this place, but I think I can distract him." Loki said, cut off by Thor's sound of displeasure.

"I know where you are taking this line of thought-"

"And you will let me finish it. I have felt this before, do you understand? You must return to Asgard. We are both affected and will need help. Please don't argue, we haven't long."

Thor did look ready to argue, but he met his younger brother's eyes and saw that he was pleading in earnest. "I can't leave you to him."

"I'll be along. I swear."

Thor stared at him, hand finally coming up to the side of Loki's face. "Don't think I'll easily forgive you if you don't come back."

Loki managed a smile at this. "Keep going straight on. You'll reach a turn down the way. Take to it to right and then straight out."

"I'll meet you at the Bifrost site."

"You should go on ahead."

"I'll meet you at the Bifrost site. If you don't come, I'm coming back for you myself."

Words died on Loki's tongue before they ever made it past his lips. Words that spoke of how much he did care for his brother and how he had been wrong earlier. They spoke of trust and love and devotion between them, things that were never spoken of anymore, and would not be spoken in that moment. He swallowed the words and forced a smile. "Be careful," he said instead. "I shouldn't want to explain to Father that his favorite didn't come home."

"Nor do I." Thor said. He brushed his thumb across Loki's cheek once and was gone, slipping outside Loki's circle of fog.

* * *

TBC

A/N: We are never lacking for available adorableness from these brothers. Gotta love them =)


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: We really do put our boys through a lot. I, personally, say it's their fault. They're just too cute when they get all protective over each other. =D

* * *

When he could no longer hear his brother's footfalls, Loki let the fog go. His hunter could sense him despite the magical barrier and it would do no good to waste precious energy trying to hide a point of light in a dark room. The dark haired god took several deep breaths and prayed Thor would move with haste and would make it to the Bifrost unharmed.

Loki moved back towards the banquet hall, where he felt the presence most strongly now. A man stood in the room with his back to the prince. He seemed to be eating off the table, ignoring the young Asgardian. Finally, after several moments of silence, his voice perked up. "I see your brother found his hammer. I doubt he saw the humor in it as did you and I."

"Thor's humor tends to exclude his precious Mjolnir," Loki answered easily, watching the figure. He couldn't help but feel that he knew the presence, though in a much more expressed fashion here.

The figure turned, revealing the face of a man Loki was sure that he should know but could not place. A smile stretched his lips thinner than they were already. "I am Arlan. I do not believe we have ever been formerly introduced."

"But informally on several occasions, I feel." Loki said.

The color of the man's eyes seemed to change with ever tilt of his head, dark hair pulled back loosely at the nape of his neck. He seemed to carry with him power that had to be almost as old as the Allfather, but he looked not close to that age. "Oh yes. Informally I have been many things in many moments, princeling. You have been very impressive over the years, but always at the intervention of your brother. While not much can be said for his ability to weave together thoughts of greatness, he is strong. I have often wondered how your power has grown in these last years."

"I fair well enough," Loki answered without pause. The market. That was where he recognized him from. He often could be found near his favorite wagon the held new spell books and trinkets. He had made his visits there much rarer after he had accidently bought a stone some years prior that had brought his worst dreams to life. "Tell me plainly, Arlan, what is that you want with us?"

"I am in need of something."

"That is?"

The smile stretched further if possible, and Loki felt uneasy. Arlan began to move, his step bringing him in a circle as a great cat would come after its prey. "The son of Odin's blood. I dare say that my needs require enough that it may end your brother's life."

"Don't you dare touch him!"

"So protective. It's quaint. I thought I heard you both squabbling earlier, but I suppose that is what brothers are wont to do. Tell me, will you weep over his body after I'm done, or will you simply relish in the fact that you will finally be in your father's sight?"

Rage boiled in his blood. "That will never happen." Loki warned.

Arlan's teeth gleamed in a dangerous smile. "What? You will never weep over Thor's body or you will never be in your father's sight, even after the mighty Thor has perished?"

Loki felt the anger in him begin to twist into something more powerful. "We both know you are very powerful. What could you want with blood magic? Especially his?" he demanded, trying his best to remain calm and not give Arlan the advantage. He could not afford to rush blindly into a fight, it would end him, no matter how badly he wanted to rip that mockery of a smile from his face.

Arlan considered his question. "I was not being falsely polite or pointing out that which is obvious when I said your brother is strong. He is very, very strong. Stronger than even he knows. He may never know. It is unusual, even for a god of Asgard to be so blessed. A thousand doors could be opened with that strength. A new age of sorcery, perhaps, and the decline of the gods."

"You'll have to get through me to get to him," Loki warned, readying himself. He had a plan. He could use Arlan's arrogance against him.

"I thought you would never say so," the elder mage chuckled and launched an attack at the youth.

It flew through the double, but the smirk did not fade as he turned around and parried Loki's blow from behind. "I can sense you, boy. You are not match for me."

The magic was powerful and it countered the younger prince of Asgard's own. It burned through his barriers and slammed into him, knocking his breath from his body and sending him into the wall with a loud _CRACK_ that resonated. His thin body refused to heed his commands as he fell to his knees, pain lacing through him as he tried to force himself just to breathe. Everything hurt, but if he could not make himself move, Arlan would grow tired of playing with him and go for Thor. He struggled to his feet.

"Oh, just stay down and make it easier on yourself, little prince. On your knees before me is where you belong anyway."

The attack flew from his fingers, fueled by rage and pointed with the desire to kill. Loki was on his feet with a speed that surprised even him. "I kneel before no one." Loki said stiffly.

The outburst caused Arlan to step back and shield his face. He looked somewhat impressed if not overly concerned. "Ah. So there are two ways to stir you, then. Threaten the life most precious to you and also threaten your pride."

"Is it pride if it is merely knowledge of skill?" Loki asked.

Arlan smiled. "Your arrogance is quite amusing." The older sorcerer pulled back his hand, the air vibrating with the power he was gathering.

Loki readied himself, sure that he could take anything that was thrown at him. He had to, lest this Arlan leave him behind and go after his brother. His own magic had subdued the poison in his veins, but that was not where Thor's talents laid, and his brother would be no match for the elder man in his present state.

Arlan's lips stretched thinly into a smile. "You think yourself so in control of all that is around you, little Odinson, but I have laid this out painstakingly for years and you were never the wiser. Do you think that I've not watched you? Seen you both grow? Do you believe that the dwarves cared so much for your brother's hammer that they were willing to risk the wrath of the Allfather? Certainly something must have seemed out of place to you. I've been orchestrating it from start."

Loki grit his teeth. The power that Arlan was collecting was immense and he knew that with all of his skill, no matter how heartily he boasted, he could never fully overtake him. He could, though, counter at least some of the attack, and hope that what he sent whirling back to the sender would be enough to lay him out and give Thor ample time for escape. The young prince sighed inwardly. There would be no forgiveness from his brother after this.

He was not afraid, he realized, and for that he was grateful. Loki stood, calm down to the core as he prepared for the push back, and he felt an odd inner strength. A door yet unopened, but he had known it was there. He prayed it was enough.

"When I catch your brother, my prince, I will kill him slowly for all the trouble he has aided you in giving me over the years and I will take his lifeblood one drop at a time. Maybe you'll see each other in hell." Arlan swung his arm around, fingers outstretched.

Loki had time to grin crookedly as he met attack with blazing attack. "Maybe I'll see you instead."

After that, all Loki knew was darkness.

* * *

Thor found himself glancing back again and again across the field to the fortress in which he had left his younger brother. While his mind felt thick from the affects of the poison in his system, he knew that it was less than it might have been. He was still angry at his brother - hadn't they discussed many times before that Loki needed to stop making decisions for the both of them without consulting Thor first? - but he knew that the younger prince had bought him time, both in taking part of the poison from him and in leading Arlan away.

Now, though, Thor found himself standing from where he had sat, limbs weary and stiff, and moving numbly back from where he had come from. He was perhaps a third of the way across the field, nearing the small thicket of trees they had hid in, when he saw a figure move. It was taller than Loki, slightly bent over, but still moving with haste.

As the figure approached he felt his heart drop, cold spreading through his chest. He did not know this man, and yet he was sure of his name. "Arlan. Where is my brother?"

"Right where I left him, dead on the ground. Fret not, son of Odin, it was quick." Arlan said.

Thor looked him over carefully, clothing torn in several places and blood smeared as if the sorcerer had tried to wipe it away hastily. The man was disheveled, but he was most assuredly gloating. A knot formed in Thor's throat. "This is not so." he said.

"You carry the same naive certainty that your brother did, that you could not be defeated. Tell me, Thor, if Loki lived would he have let me come to you? No. We both know this is not true. You remember, after all, the lengths at which he would go to keep you from harm."

"If what you say is true, then you are a fool to come to me and bear the tidings. Come then. Fight me. If I die, I die, but I shall take you to the grave with me." Thor said darkly.

Arlan gave a crooked smile. His movements were so quick that Thor was not sure if it were speed or if he were shifting his presence as Loki did when he created illusions. Either case, he was before the prince of Asgard before the blond could react, sending him flying backwards. "I promised your brother that I would make this slow. I shouldn't want to be caught lying to the dead, now should I?"

Thor picked himself up off the ground and gave a roar of anger mixed with anguish. If Arlan were quick, he released Mjolnir with more speed. It may have appeared small and certainly insignificant for anything beyond a few laughs, but it was only an illusion. The fact that the sorcerer knew that was seen in his eyes as it came barreling towards him with more speed than he could counter.

It clipped Arlan's left side, and the sorcerer could do naught in its wake but take the blow. He went to the ground with a sickening crack as Thor summoned the disguised weapon back to his hand. Dark clouds gathered overhead, thick droplets of rain falling from them hard and with gathering speed. Wind swept through the trees, shaking branches and scattering their leaves to the air. Arlan picked himself up. "My apologies. I seem to have underestimated you in both intelligence and physicality." he said, holding his left arm. A blue and gold light began gathering in Arlan's palm. "Perhaps, since he is dead, your brother Loki will not take too much exception for not taking an undue amount of time killing you. After all, one does have to change strategies in the midst of battle every now and again."

Thor began to swing Mjolnir in great sweeping arcs. "Speak not of my brother. His name should not fall form such unworthy a tongue."

"Shall I speak of how he died? How he thought he was more than he is, how he thought you were more than you are, and how you will both be so much less when I've finished."

The god of thunder's eyes sparked as if lightning were in them and it came crashing down as he slammed Mjolnir's handle to the ground. Everything exploded upward, Arlan's attack not as well aimed as he had intended when the ground rushed to meet the sky and took him with it. He lay on the grass where he landed, eyes wide with the shock waves that still ran through him, causing his limbs to twitch.

Thor remained knelt on one knee, frozen with the hammer to the ground. His breaths came hard and fast, heaving his chest in a painful way. He gave a cough, blood splattering to the ground and blue eyes flickered a few yards away.

Arlan was struggling to sit up, his expression one of confusion and rage. "Don't think this is it," he gasped out. "Don't think you and your little bastard of a brother have bested me. I will rain down such curses upon your head as you have never known."

"You can't if you're dead," Thor said simply and swung Mjolnir back. It flew through the spot where Arlan had been, the sorcerer fading from his place.

Thor wished for more anger or rage but found he had nothing left within himself. "I should learn that trick." he murmured. He let the handle slip from his fingers and came to rest on both knees, rain soaking his hair and skin. Sighing, coughing, he closed his eyes and tilted his face skyward, the rain caused by his grief also covering his tears. "Will you teach me, Loki? Teach me your tricks, brother." he whispered, only the wind to answer him. His breath caught in his throat and he coughed again, more blood staining his lips. Slowly, he lowered himself to the ground, his blood pounding in his ears and pain curling through every inch of his body. His brother's name echoed softly in the storm until Thor was conscious no longer.

* * *

A soft groan escaped his lips as green eyes fluttered reluctantly open. His first thought was that he needed to learn when to say no to that next round of mead that his brother had surely offered him, but as his surroundings came slowly into focus so did his memories. There had been no mead involved, sadly enough, only a very powerful sorcerer, some spell-bound dwarves, and some potent poison.

Loki sat up with his brother's name on his lips and he searched for Arlan. Panic seized at him when he could not find him, and he dragged himself to his feet. There was no telling how long he had been unconscious, or if Arlan had been gone that entire time. He feared the worst as he stumbled towards the exit.

The sun was blinding and hot against him when he finally made it to the outside world and the aches his body had been complaining about seemed to increase. He pushed himself forward, though, towards the Bifrost site. He had to get to Thor. He had to help his brother defeat this monster.

He couldn't allow his mind to go to a place in which Thor had lost, because that was impossible. His brother did not lose, no matter what was stacked against him. As sure as the sun would rise, Thor could not lose a battle. Loki was certain it would shatter all the nine realms. He stumbled, landing hard on his knees.

It smelled like fresh rain and the grass was wet, soaking into the knees of his pants. Loki took deep breath and reached down to steady himself enough to push to his feet when his eye caught it, almost at the tree line. Red. It stood out against the colors of the field and the woods beyond, the brush around his brother -_he is still, he is oh so still and that is not right_- and some of the trees beyond flattened down and singed. The work of Mjolnir, no doubt. He was sorry to have missed it, the sight of his brother bringing down so much power to create such a wave.

There was no sign of Arlan and Thor was not waving to him in greeting or calling out some jest across the field he was simply not moving. _Get up, get up, we have to go home._ Loki's thoughts spun out of control. Arlan had said he would take every drop, leave no life force left. No blood to flow through that great big heart, only the red of his brother's cape and the stillness in Thor he had often wished for but never truly wanted. Loki's cry rang out over the distance between them.

The pain didn't seem to matter as he found his feet under him and they carried him across the field. Tears stung his eyes and he sank to the ground next to his brother when he reached him. "I'm sorry," he found himself saying. All the angry words, all the pointless bickering and low jabs seemed so petty now. How had he ever thought his brother dull or anything less than perfect? His thin fingers grabbed at the red cloak and he buried his face in it, Thor's name tumbling from his lips.

And then it struck him: Thor was breathing beneath him. They were not deep, healthy breaths, but they were breaths nevertheless. He sat up, fingers finding a pulse and he gave a small sound of joy. "Thor? Brother? You have to wake up. I can't carry you home. We have to go home." He shook him.

Slipping an arm under his shoulders, he pulled Thor against him, pushing strands of blond hair away from his brother's forehead and briefly touching at the blood on his lips. "You did not fight this long to leave me here now that I have reached you. We can go home, you and me and that stupid hammer." He stroked Thor's hair absently. "You survived him. You will be fine, you must be fine but you must _wake up_." Loki said, voice fading into a whisper. He began to fear that the poison had taken him, or an injury from Arlan and this was merely the last few breaths. Surely the universe would spare him such a cruel kindness. A sob broke free, followed by another.

Fingers brushed against his face. "So are we dead together?" Thor asked, voice barely audible.

Green eyes opened and Loki smiled through his tears. "I knew you'd come back," he managed. "I knew he couldn't beat you. No one can beat you."

Thor looked very confused by his words and shifted, trying to get a better look at him. He winced at the pain this brought and resigned himself, temporarily, to continue to lean against his brother for support. "I never thought death would hurt this much."

"You're not dead," Loki chuckled, kissing the top of his head. "And you won't be any time soon. We must get you back to Asgard. Do you think you can stand? The Bifrost site is not far from here."

Thor shook his head and put the palm of his hand against Loki's chest, closing his eyes when he felt the too-quick _thump-thump_ repeating within his brother.

Loki took his hand in his own. "Thor?" he asked softly.

In a movement that caused him great effort, Thor awkwardly pushed himself up far enough to wrap both his arms around his brother, holding him tightly. "You must make me listen to you more often." Thor muttered against his ear.

Loki slid his arms around him in return. With a laugh he pressed his face into Thor's shoulder. "What do you mean, more often?" he teased.

Thor grinned, albeit with a grimace, into dark hair. "Oh very well. You must make me start listening to you."

"That's more to the truth," his younger brother chuckled. "Where is Arlan?"

"I fear he got away, though not without damage done to him." Thor paused, looking at Loki for a moment. "Though he came to me greatly wounded, I think."

The dark haired prince looked proud at what he knew was praise from his brother. "We should go, still. Rowen will be able to force the poison from your veins."

"And you? You took part of it."

"My magic has taken care of most of that, but I fear that I've added new injuries in replace of old." He looked down to where his tunic was ripped and shredded, and in places dried to his skin with dark blood. Arlan's magic had been strong. "Do you need a hand up?"

Thor frowned at the thought. "Not a word to anyone, you understand?"

Loki smiled broadly and they helped each other to their feet, leaning heavily on one another for support.

* * *

END.

A/N: I would just like to point out, though I'm sure you noticed, that Thor beat the crap out of a big-time sorcerer with a shrunken, pink, flower-covered hammer. Because he's Thor, and he can do that. =P So, another done. We're taking tonight off of writing, but we'll start the next installment tomorrow night (so the plan goes.) I'm afraid that I have meetings out of town for work this weekend, so we'll miss out on writing Friday and Saturday as well. Being that as it is, I would assume that you would prefer that I start updates once I come back to town, so that we can have a solid flow of every day or every-other-day updates as we write. I know I've rather spoiled everyone with how often I do updated... Maybe I should have kept that one-shot for tomorrow night? Oops... Ah well.

Anyway, so we should, if all goes to plan, resume with a story taking place after "Breath of Life" and the short "Blinding" on Sunday or Monday. Don't worry, there's a reason that we went back to pre-movie work... There is a connection and you will see it all very soon! *insert evil laughter here*

Ahem. So, hope you enjoyed it! Have a lovely time, please review, and we will see you in a few days!


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